Randy York’s N-Sider
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Because he’s one of three Huskers in history enshrined into both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, when Will Shields talks, everyone listens.
That’s especially true when Shields, the 1992 Outland Trophy winner in college, became a perennial All-Pro offensive lineman in his 14 years with the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Lincoln this weekend for Friday night’s enshrinement into the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame, Shields and six other members of the 2016 induction class, will be honored Saturday on Memorial Stadium’s sacred ground.
I asked the father of two-time Nebraska Academic All-American Shavon Shields for his take on two thoughts: 1) his son's pursuit of a professional basketball career overseas and 2) Mike Riley's pursuit of a Big Ten Conference football championship in his second season.
“I’ve met Coach Riley three times and watched a practice one day when they were getting ready for the pre-game,” Shields said. “He’s a very nice coach, and I like the philosophy he’s putting together. He’s moving ahead very well from a recruiting standpoint.”
Shields Thrilled that Mike Riley Hired John Parrella as Defensive Line Coach
Shields (above with Pat Logsdon and Shawn Eichorst) favors what he calls “more utilization of guys that are either pro athletes or made it to the pros” and he was thrilled that Riley hired John Parrella, his former Husker teammate, to be the Huskers’ defensive line coach.
Parrella’s 12-year stint in the NFL reflects the kind of talent Nebraska had while winning conference and national championships. “In my opinion, we love our players and the way we built the program, but we need kids with big dreams to play in the NFL, too.
“You want that caliber across the board because those aspirations help you get to the next level,” Shields said. “That’s the only thing we’re missing, and that would help us get over the top.”
Shields compares the art of recruiting to the art of competing and art of coaching. “You almost have to go full circle to get back in or rebuild your resume from scratch,” he said. “It’s just tough to break into the business.”
Parrella accepted jobs “in the trenches” and at smaller schools, so “he can translate what he knows into the players that he coaches,” Shields said. “This is a new era.”
Shields Believes That Recruiting and Coaching Require a Combined Mentality
“Recruiting and coaching require a combined mentality," Shields said. "John came a long way as a player and as a coach because he walked on and still played at the highest level.
“Those are the stories that inspire guys who say ‘look, I put in all that hard work to get here and to be what I’m going to be, so let me show you how to do it, even though you might be here on a full-ride scholarship or no scholarship at all,’” Shields said.
Different talents take different routes to different places, and the NFL should be included as a primary destination, according to Shields. “I think more stories need to be told, cultivated and brought to attention because many flourish after playing the game,” Shields said, “so striving to reach the next level in football is important, too.”
Goal-setting is a primary discussion in the Shields’ household because son Shavon is pursuing an athletic dream before focusing on his superlative academic resume. Shavon hunkered down for four productive years both in the classroom and on the court. Stretch goals are never easy because they require giving up things they love.
Will Shields understands a truth without end. Winning five national titles – two in the early '70s and three in the mid '90s – is the standard by which all other programs are measured.
All Nebraska Teams Measured through Devaney's and Osborne's Standard
Whoever plays at Nebraska “is going to be compared to those teams,” said Shields (flanked by Dave Rimington and Milt Tenopir above). “It’s unfair, but it’s the territory that goes with Nebraska when you're a head coach. Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne set the standard."
There are “positives that go with that,” Shields said. “We’ve still had positive seasons and we’ve still had good things happen across the board. It’s not always going to be perfect, but you still have good talent and good kids and good prospects, and that’s part of the program, if you run a solid program. You want to be good, and you want to be great, but those come far and few between because if that was the case, everybody would do it the same way.”
That’s why Shields, in his own business training youth in a variety of ways in the Kansas City metropolitan area, admits that no competitor really knows what can happen until it happens. Shavon’s journey is proof of point.
“I mean, right now he’s trying to figure out what to do,” Shields said. “You have a kid that’s done everything he’s been asked to do and now he’s trying to take a route to get to the next level. You don’t know how that’s going to go, man, so he has to take it one day at a time.
“Right now, he’s not sure. Of course he’s talked about the medicine route when he was younger but he’s not sure yet. He has the biology degree, so that helps.”
Shavon’s sister is studying for the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test). "Once she gets that done, she’ll see where she’s going to land," Will said. "Mom is the one that drives both of them. She’s there to support them, and she’s done a great job.”
Shields Hoping Enshrinement Was Based on Doing What We Did the Right Way
This weekend, Shields will enjoy the accomplishments that his alma mater is honoring. “I hope this respect factor is based on doing what we did the right way. That’s the cool part about it.”
Shields reminisced about his first football camp. The first Oklahoma native to accept a Nebraska football scholarship, Shields will never forget the way he was treated and the way Nebraska made him feel at home. “That’s something that made Nebraska such a special place for me.”
Shields’ most remarkable memory is "the simple fact that Nebraska figured out a way to inspire kids from all walks of life,” he said. “The hard part is meshing everybody together.”
Shields believes Nebraska’s pursuit of excellence is a 1-2 punch – 1) Having a good support team and 2) Getting everybody to buy in, year-in and year-out. “That’s really what the cool thing about Nebraska is,” Shields told me. “You’re building up beyond what the classes have done before you, and that’s a sign of progress. It’s always the most important part.
“It’s hard to have just one crème de la crème,” Shields said. “I think it’s a combination of it all and the experience of all that I had when I was at Nebraska.”
Shields Didn’t Have Any Pitfalls Because Nebraska Was on Top of Its Goals
Reflecting back, “I didn’t really have any pitfalls,” Shields said. “I didn’t have any because Nebraska was always on top of it and basically worked toward a goal on a day-by-day basis. The experience itself is personalized. For me, it was great being a young man and learning to grow. You find yourself in that structure and then you become a mentor to others, so you can do the best you can do every time.
“When you get to that point, you put things in a different light,” Shields said. “The greatest goal is across the board because you’ve been taught how to be or try to be the best person you can be. I’m not saying you’re never going to have any mistakes or anything of that nature, but I think the whole experience itself stands out. When you compare not being there and not being a part of Nebraska, you miss some of the greatest growth in your life.”
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